Afternoon Session (1300 GMT)

• TV Coverage: Sky Sports
• Format: Semi-Finals, best of 31 legs

Mickey Mansell (6/4) v Martin Lukeman (1/2)

• Tournament Ave: 94.98 – 95.84
• Tournament 180s per leg: 0.27 – 0.25
• Tournament Checkout %: 43.53% – 45.56%

In the latest of many underdog stories in darts this season, 150/1 pre-tournament outsider Martin Lukeman will face 350/1 ‘no hoper’ Mickey Mansell for a place in the final of one of the PDC’s biggest events.

Any other year we’d be completely baffled by both of their runs to the last four but when you consider Mike de Decker and Ritchie Edhouse won the World Grand Prix and European Championship respectively last month at massive prices in excess of 200/1, then it seems part and parcel of this mad sport these days!

Whereas the secret to Martin Lukeman’s success seems to lie with the relatively recent construction of a new darts cabin where he’s locked himself away and transformed from a journeyman pro into a potential major winner, I’m not quite sure how we can explain Mansell’s random rise from nowhere.

WATCH: HOW MUCH DO DARTS PLAYERS EARN

For years and years he’s been a steady operator lower down the rankings but over the past 10 years he’s never done well enough to qualify for majors such as this one, the World Matchplay, the World Grand Prix or the European Championship.

At 51-years-old, his time on the tour looked as though it could be running out as he slipped further down the rankings towards the dangerous 64th spot after a dreadful campaign in which he lost 16 first-round matches out of 30 Players Championship – and never reaching the quarter-finals of any of them.

But as if by magic, he stuns Gerwyn Price to qualify for his maiden Grand Slam of Darts before coming through a group that included Luke Humphries and James Wade.

Although he was soundly beaten by the already-eliminated defending champion in his final group game, it mattered little as he upset the odds once more to overcome Danny Noppert with an average just shy of 99 before battling past Cameron Menzies 16-15 in a real nervy affair where both players averaged around 90.

I don’t want to sound like I’m taking anything away from him whatsoever, but there have been tougher routes to major semi-finals before whereas Lukeman had to take out former European champion Ross Smith and multiple-major winner Rob Cross to be here.

Mansell admitted he’d never felt nerves like it against Menzies, while Lukeman has come across more confident, saying: “I fear no one; I’ve beaten all the big players before so why not here? I’ve been practicing a lot over the last few months and it’s showing on the big stage.”

Although Lukeman’s 180 per leg rate is slightly less than Mansell’s during the tournament, if he finds his rhythm quicker and Mansell struggles with nerves, then I fancy him to edge the maximum battle too.

Verdict: 12-16

CLICK HERE to back Lukeman to win and hit most 180s with Sky Bet

Luke Littler (4/11) v Gary Anderson (2/1)

• Tournament Ave: 105.23 – 101.06
• Tournament 180s per leg: 0.57 – 0.35
• Tournament Checkout %: 51.9% – 50.62%

It was the match we so desperately wanted to see at last year’s World Championship only for Brendan Dolan to get in the way – but great things come to those who wait.

During Gary Anderson’s Ally Pally campaign, he warned the media about the dangers of putting too much pressure on Luke Littler but since then the 17-year-old has taken to the spotlight like a duck to water and hasn’t looked the least bit fazed during this ridiculous maiden season in the pro ranks.

WATCH: RANKING THE MAJOR WINNERS IN HISTORY

In fact, if the Premier League champion lifts his first ranking major title tonight then he’ll remarkably move up to fifth in the world rankings! When you think all four of his televised titles this season have been unranked, and he’s suffered first-round exits at the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and European Championship, well, it’s unfathomable!

And that shows how little some mainstream media known about darts outside of the major scene, such as the Daily Mail, who recently reported Littler’s early exit to ‘former butcher’ Andrew Gilding like he was going through some kind of rapid fall from grace.

He’s chasing a 10th PDC title of any kind and has already enjoyed the kind of success that many professionals would dream about achieving in their entire career.

Standing in his way of more history-making exploits is one of the greatest players in darting history, who is running out of time to win the Grand Slam for the first time.

The Flying Scotsman has made no secret down the years of how much he wants to add the Wolverhampton major to his glittering CV and this is the closest he’s got since losing the highly controversial 2018 final to Gerwyn Price.

Anderson has been involved in 17 of the 18 stagings of the Grand Slam, including the inaugural edition in 2007, and has twice been runner-up, a semi-finalist on four other occasions and has always got through the lottery of the short-format group stages. It’s a staggering record that deserves the trophy.

He’s just two steps away from that, but Littler’s presence makes the first of those look like a giant leap.

The Nuke’s breathtaking route to the last four has seen him average over 102 in all five games – including a best of 112.16 – giving him a tournament average is 105.23 while he’s hit a staggering 32 180s in just 56 legs which works out at 0.57 per leg. That makes his seasonal ratio of 0.39 look sluggish!

That is second only to Anderson’s mark of 0.41 although he’s fairly priced up as favourite to hit most against the Scotsman given what we’ve seen from him this week.

However, 3/1 seems very big for the two-time world champion to edge the maximum battle because we know he can often hit them at insane rates too.

CLICK HERE to back Anderson to hit most 180s with Sky Bet

He may have ended up with only 11 from 30 legs against Gian van Veen but the first of those didn’t come until the seventh leg due to a slow, scrappy start from both players. Littler’s fast style will probably suit Anderson more and we could see a match from the ages.

Their 100+ checkout conversion has also been devastating so I’d expect them to weigh in with at least one apiece to go along with 10+ 180s, especially if we’re treated to at least 26 legs or so.

CLICK HERE to back both players to hit 10+ 180s and one+ 100+ checkouts each with Sky Bet

As far as the winner is concerned, I’ll give the slight edge to Littler but it’s hopefully a close one.

I’m also suggesting a small stake on a nine-dart finish this afternoon. It’s tempting to just focus on this match given that Littler has twice missed double 12 for the perfect leg on both nights I’ve decided to tip it this tournament – including last night – while Anderson kicked off five legs with 180s against van Veen.

But, magic moments can happen anywhere and I feel the stage is set for one this afternoon.

Verdict: 16-14

CLICK HERE to back a nine-dart finish in the semi-finals with Sky Bet

Grand Slam of Darts: Results, tables

GROUP STAGE

Group A

Results

• James Wade 3-5 Mickey Mansell
• Luke Humphries 3-5 Rowby-John Rodriguez
• Rowby-John Rodriguez 3-5 Mickey Mansell
• James Wade 5-3 Luke Humphries
• James Wade 5-1 Rowby-John Rodriguez
• Luke Humphries 5-1 Mickey Mansell

Group B

Results

• Danny Noppert 5-2 Beau Greaves
• Martin Schindler 2-5 Cameron Menzies
• Danny Noppert 5-4 Cameron Menzies
• Martin Schindler 5-1 Beau Greaves
• Danny Noppert 5-2 Martin Schindler
• Cameron Menzies 1-5 Beau Greaves

Group C

Results

• Rob Cross 5-2 Leonard Gates
• Peter Wright 0-5 Martin Lukeman
• Peter Wright 4-5 Leonard Gates
• Rob Cross 3-5 Martin Lukeman
• Peter Wright 1-5 Rob Cross
• Leonard Gates 3-5 Martin Lukeman

Group D

Results

• Ross Smith 1-5 Ritchie Edhouse
• Dave Chisnall 0-5 Connor Scutt
• Dave Chisnall 2-5 Ross Smith
• Ritchie Edhouse 5-2 Connor Scutt
• Connor Scutt 0-5 Ross Smith
• Dave Chisnall 2-5 Ritchie Edhouse

Group E

Results

• Michael Smith 5-2 Mensur Suljovic
• Mike De Decker 2-5 Jermaine Wattimena
• Mike De Decker 5-2 Mensur Suljovic
• Michael Smith 1-5 Jermaine Wattimena
• Michael Smith 0-5 Mike De Decker
• Mensur Suljovic 4-5 Jermaine Wattimena

Group F

Results

• Dimitri Van den Bergh 5-1 Lourence Ilagan
• Luke Littler 5-0 Keane Barry
• Keane Barry 5-3 Lourence Ilagan
• Dimitri Van den Bergh 1-5 Luke Littler
• Keane Barry 1-5 Dimitri Van den Bergh
• Lourence Ilagan 3-5 Luke Littler

Group G

Results

• Michael van Gerwen 5-0 Noa-Lynn van Leuven
• Gary Anderson 5-1 Ryan Joyce
• Ryan Joyce 5-3 Noa-Lynn van Leuven
• Michael van Gerwen 4-5 Gary Anderson
• Michael van Gerwen 4-5 Ryan Joyce
• Gary Anderson 5-2 Noa-Lynn van Leuven

Group H

Results

• Stephen Bunting 5-4 Wessel Nijman
• Josh Rock 2-5 Gian van Veen
• Josh Rock 5-3 Wessel Nijman
• Stephen Bunting 1-5 Gian van Veen
• Josh Rock 2-5 Stephen Bunting
• Wessel Nijman 4-5 Gian van Veen

Grand Slam of Darts: Knockout Stage

LAST 16 (Nov 13-14)

• James Wade 9-10 Cameron Menzies
• Danny Noppert 7-10 Mickey Mansell
• Martin Lukeman 10-5 Ross Smith
• Ritchie Edhouse 5-10 Rob Cross
• Jermaine Wattimena 10-9 Dimitri Van den Bergh
• Luke Littler 10-9 Mike de Decker
• Gary Anderson 10-6 Stephen Bunting
• Gian van Veen 10-2 Ryan Joyce

QUARTER-FINALS (Nov 15-16)

• Cameron Menzies 15-16 Mickey Mansell
• Martin Lukeman 16-11 Rob Cross
• Jermaine Wattimena 2-16 Luke Littler
• Gary Anderson 16-14 Gian van Veen

SEMI-FINALS (Nov 17)

• Mickey Mansell v Martin Lukeman
• Luke Littler v Gary Anderson

FINAL (Nov 17)

• Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2

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